Posted on June 21, 2013 by Rose Rushe
THE longest day of the year arriving brings with it a pang of angst with the realisation that calendar has tipped towards wonder. Blow off the blues at Lough Gur Summer Solstice Festival, opening this Thursday 20 and running to Tuesday 25, where this 8,000 year old heritage site packs a great party.
‘There’s a lot going on,” says Kate Harrold of Lough Gur Development of the few days. A cool understatement of the itinerary encompassing theatre, family fun day on Sunday 22, table quiz, workshops on genealogy, photography and drumming, choice of long walks and solstice cycle, plus markets, music, film and momentous buzz. Check www.loughgur.com for full programme.
“The Summer Solstice Cycle is organised by Limerick Smarter Travel, leaving O’Connell Street, Limerick at 4.45am where you can register, arriving at the lake by 6.15am for coffee and scones at the refurbished Heritage Centre and straight back to Limerick,” reports Kate. ”A very popular event is the 6km and 11km Fun Run taking place on Saturday 22, runners leaving Lough Gur at 10.30am and with plenty of refreshments afterwards…people will be well looked after.
“There’s also the Long Walk for a Long Day, leaving the lake front at 7.30pm to follow a spectacular route around Knockroe and Knocksrahir”.
Visual and performance arts rolled out include Fiona Quinn’s direction of ‘The REHEARSAL: A Play on Punk’ at Honey Fitz Theatre, Sunday 22 at 5pm: “not to be missed by anyone interested in discovering the thrill of 1970s’ protests and performance art”. It was first devised with County Limerick Youth Theatre.
“The play ‘Bookworms’ by Bernard Farrell follows at 9pm in the theatre and it’s really very good”. We hear that “‘Bookworms’ turns a sentimental eye to post Celtic Tiger Ireland and its bankrupt middle classes”.
On later to buskers at Reardon’s, Holycross from 10pm on.
On the final day, Honey Fitz on Tuesday 25 is the scene also for a movie morning 10am for the u12, a teen show at 5pm and wrapping all with an evening movie at 8pm for any festival supporters not exhausted by these exciting six days.
